Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Hi everyone! I have made a little more progress on the latest String quilt. The prep work is quite time consuming, but otherwise it is all fun. I think I am going to put some little something in the black diamonds too.

Another view...

And I finished hand quilting and binding this one...so it is all good!!

********************Nurse's notes********************************

I did something the other day...something I felt pretty dang good about! I had a patient, 89 years old, who was just lingering in the hospital. Her kidneys really were not working well, she had congestive heart failure, and so on and so forth. So the doctors were just keeping her there! When I went in to do my AM assessment, she told me, "Darlin...I am leaving and going home today!" She told me that she was 89 years old, that we were not going to fix just every little thing wrong with her, and that she wanted to go home to her own food and her own water in her own fridge, where she could get strong again! And, she works a full time job and wanted to get back at it!! Her family came in a few minutes later and told me, "WE are taking her home." Now usually, you need a doctor's order to discharge a patient, but she signed out on her own against medical advice and away she went! When that sunshine hit her face, she gave me the biggest hug and most beautiful smile...why I felt as if I had helped her break out of jail!! Yippee for escapes!!! (in this case...) I called later and checked up on her...she said she already felt better!!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Hi everyone! I am just loving playing with strings...Using a few here! I decided to make this setting a little more fancy...this takes a lot more time! It is great fun, however...I really like going my own way, designing my own little quilts. Not that applique sashing has not been done before...but hey, I like it!

Close up of the applique...also made of tiny bits of strings. I am having fun so far, but do not want to create another UFO, so will have to plan time to work on this one...

*********************************Nurse's notes***********************

Hey! I took care of a 93 year old lady patient the other day. She was Hungarian! And wow, she was drop dead gorgeous! Lives by herself, etc... I asked her her secret...She said wash your face with soap and water each day. Who knew that was all it took, LOL!!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

OH everyone! this is a big, big day for me! At last, my Be Attitudes quilt is actually a quilt. I just am brimming over with happy...hee!! My friend Darcie quilted it for me...and it is a wonderful quilting delight!! Now, I just want to BE all these things. These fabrics are all old, all from my stash. No new fabric...some of you may recall that I swiped my husband's old jammie bottoms to make the plaid letters. This quilt means so much to me...that pajama fabric especially!

And this quilt will be just right to gift to my sister. She is a head turner...drop dead gorgeous, and almost 70 years old. This quilt seems right to give to her...she does not read my blog, so it is all OK!!

More happy!! My friend Leeanne from New Zealand sent me just the right size of cutting mat for by the sewing machine. And more...

Strings!!! They are just so very pretty...yum, yum!! Thank you so very much, Leeanne!!

So, I had to make some string blocks! Had to, you see...heee!! Actually, they are just pure fun to make!! Funny how one color decides to show off...look at that turquoise!

Lots of exclamation points here...hope you have an exclamation point day too!!!

Now stop right here if happy is all you want to hear about today!

**********************Nurse's Notes*******************************

The patient was 88 years old...gravely ill. Not going to make it, in a final coma. Poor darling husband came in to see her...he was 92 years old. Tears dripping down his face, I put my arm around his shoulders...and he talked. He said, "We had a bad, bad fight about 5 years ago. I just kept on waiting for her to come and talk to me about it...and she never did. Now it is too late...too late for me to say I am so sorry.". Well, the tears were running down my face too, by then...

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Hi to everyone! Friends Joyce, Lois and Diane were all in Arizona at a retreat at Joyce's cabin in the hills. So I decided to join the fun virtually! Lois sent pictures of what they were up to, and I sent this picture back...barrister's blocks!! One more to go...

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

HI Y'all...a little string quilt! The nine patches are 1.5 inches finished. The string blocks are 3 inches finished. And the border? An old pocket square...don't know where that came from, probably the thrift!! The result? fun, fun, fun!!! for me....

Friday, August 10, 2012

Well, last night? I got all caught up on my Barrister's blocks! These are the very first that Randy posted. So, I am waiting for new ones to be published on her blog. Nice to be caught up on something, LOL!!

Strings!! I am using them...and having great fun doing it! I want to make another log cabin quilt, and this is the first block. Loving these strings!! 1.5 inch wide logs...

And tada! The empty box that the Barrister's blocks were in, all cut out and ready to go...loved being able to just go and pick up one and sew!

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Here are the blocks I have made so far, for Randy's Sew Along. It was very peaceful (pieceful) today...all these blocks were previously cut out and I all I had to do was tap my feet to the music and sew. Relaxing, and that is good! I find that my quilts are infused with whatever emotions I am experiencing at the time I am working on them. Can you imagine what my "Braveheart" quilt must be like? Or my "Twilight" quilt? This one is full of fun and just plain relaxation....loving it! thanks, Randy! (who doesn't know me...probably doesn't know I am doing her blocks, but hey...it is a small world!)

Have a great day all!!

Hey, Janet O., of Rogue quilter fame...you are my winner of the pattern from last week...the raggedy quilt! Hey Angie, of The Thread catcher fame! You won the raggedy candle mat, and a candle to go with it for fall! Let me know your addresses ladies...thank you for entering my little drawing. Go and see these ladies blogs...they are phenomenal!

And more thanks are due...I want to thank each of you who so graciously lend me your wisdom and support and friendship whenever I ask your opinion, with helpful advice and critique!! You mean the world to me...sincerely!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

HI everyone!! Hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday!! May I ask your opinion? Is the above setting too dramatic for my Barrister's blocks? Is the contrast too much, with the black? Thank you so much for your two cents, LOL!! The nine patches are 2 inch finished...and I love them, for their tiny size, and just because I love nine patches!! I really am enjoying making these blocks...want to do it too?? Click HERE!! She posts new blocks every two weeks...it is fun!! If I decide to continue making these setting pieces, I will have to get black fabric, and also muslin...I am all out of both.

And...I finished the big stitch quilting on the turtle quilt! I save hand quilting for road trips, that seems to be a good use of my time...do you do this??

****************************Nurse's notes*************************

I am off work for a couple days, then back at it...I wonder and worry about the patients at work, and hope they are doing OK. I know other nurse's do this too...and then I go back to work, and a whole 'nother group of patients are there, with their stories and illnesses and triumphs. Nursing is a good thing! But you can take the charting and politics and get rid of those things down the nearest oubliette!!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Barrister's blocks!! These are great fun to make...if you go HERE, you can make them too! Six inch finished blocks, and all the directions are right there for you...fun, fun!!I like this one...

and this one...

and this one!! I am thinking of the nine patch and rails setting for these.

Here is an extra block from the raggedy plaid quilt, last post. I washed this one, and it ragged up just fin! I will put a candle in the middle and put it on my table for fall.

And...tada!! I started another string quilt!! These are 6 inches finished...I plan to make 120 of them, so will have a nice sized quilt for some one...and use some of these fun, gorgeous strings!!

Thanks for reading today...I would like to give away the pattern for the raggedy quilt, now that I have made it. So leave a comment if you would like to, and I will draw for the pattern next Tuesday...next day off!!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Well, here is the UN-clipped seam version. I still need to clip all the seams, trim threads, and toss this plaid quilt into the washer. Then it will be raggedy edged!! I think it will be a fun patient quilt, for a guy perhaps. Hospital bed sized.

Earlier this spring, I made a few blocks...and they demanded to be put in their own little quilt. so here we are!! Now, little blocks...are you satisfied, LOL?!

**********************Nurse's Notes*************************

Sometimes, we have a patient and case that is just horrific from beginning to end. A drama just like this is unfolding on our nursing unit as we speak. Multi organ system failure...weeks and weeks of it. So very sad, and yet the dear family just cannot let go. I feel so bad for them, and for the patient...and for the staff too. Heart wrenching!!

On the flip side, we had a 95 year old patient come in with congestive heart failure. She told me, "I just cannot leave the dill pickles alone!". She had fluid overload...so lots of oxygen and Lasix (diuretic) later, she was all better and raring to go home!! She was doing exercises in her bed, and just was a darling lady...wish everyone could share a bit of her spirit!!! She walked (almost strutted) out of our hospital, and was driving later in that day! Yahoo for a big success....and pickles? Sodium galore!! Be careful!!